Face guard or mask



P.' J. WOLOSON FACE GUARD 0R MASK Dec. 22V, 1936.

Filed Feb. 18, 1956 VIIIIIIIH Patented Dec. 22, 1936 l UNITED STATESPATENT 'OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in faceguards or masks.

The primary object of the invention -is to provide a face guard or maskespecially designed for use in playing the game of soft ball and as'contrasted with known masks used Vin the game of baseball and the like,the same is of a skeleton type to reduce the weight thereof to aminimum, being of one-piece construction whereby the same may be stampedor pressed to reduce the cost of manufacture and designed to give clearvision to the wearer thereof. A further object of the invention is toprovide a mask of the foregoing character wherein a le'af spring ispositioned at the front side thereof to provide an effective shockabsorber with `flexure of thev spring limited by a front bar of the maskframe, the mask frame carrying face engaging cushions or pads removablyretained in 2O position'on the frame by spring devices.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists inthe novel for-m, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaftermorefully described, shown in the accompanying drawing'and claimed.

In the drawingz- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a soft -ballmask constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure `2`is a side elevational view showing the shock absorbing springat the forward side of the mask frame and the head strap carried bythetemple bar;rr

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2,showing the pad carried by the temple bar;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2,showing the pad carried by the chin bar; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the face guard ormask that is especially designed for playing the game of soft ballcomprises a skeleton frame including a forwardly arched vertical frontbar I0 having a cross head of arcuate formation at its upper endconstituting a temple bar II. An arcuate foot extends transversely ofthe lower end of the front bar I0 and constitutes a chin bar I2. Anarcuate arm projects laterally of each side of the front bar 4I0, beingcurved in the general direction of the temple and chin bars andconstitutes cheek bars I3. The mask frame described is of one-piececonstruction and may be stamped, moldedor pressed'andmaybe formed of anysuitable light weight material, such as aluminum.

A shock absorbing spring I4 in the form of a strap or leaf is carried'by the front bar I0 at the forward side thereof and as shown moreclearly in Figure'Z, recesses or pockets I5 are formed in theforward'side of the front bar I0 Afor the reception of the ends of theleaf spring I4 with the spring spaced from the front bar as illustrated.

A temple pad is carried by the temple bar II and comprises a tubularcasing I6 of soft leather or similar material with a padding insert Iltherein, the pad being connected to the temple bar II by means of a leafspring I8 located interiorly of the casing I6 with the projecting endsIBa of the spring I8 at each end of the casing I6 having snap engagementwith lugs I9 carried by the ends of the temple Abar II at the inner sidethereof.

A similar pad is carried by the chin bar I2 and is identied by referencecharacters corre sponding to the temple pad, the projecting end I8a ofthe spring I S-having snap engagement-V with the lugs 20 carried by theopposite ends of the chin bar I2.

A head strap is carried by the mask and includes a crown strap 2| havinga loop 22 at one end for sliding engagement with a band strap 23. Theother end of the crown strap 2l is looped and provided with anadjustable clamp 24, Vthe looped end of the strap carrying a tab 25 thatis frictionally or otherwise retained in position between the temple bar'II and temple. pad. The opposite ends of the band strap 23 have pivotedlink connections 26 with lugs 2l respectively projecting from the lowersides of each end of the temple bar Il.

When the mask is in position on the head of the user the arched frontbar I0 and the cheek bars I3 are positioned forwardly of the nose andcheeks of the wearer while the pads I6 carried by the templeand chinbars II and I2 are engaged with the temple and chin of the wearer, themask being retained in position by the head straps. It will'be observedthat the cheek bars I3 are so positioned as to permit clear vision ofthe wearer. The leaf spring I4 is arched forwardly of the front bar I0and when contacted by a soft ball or other object during play of thegame, the same flexes toward the front bar I0 and is limited in suchmovement by said bar, the spring I4 effectively absorbing shocks, In theevent of wear or injury to the pads I6, the same are easily removed fromthe mask frame by disengaging the ends l8r:I of the leaf springs fromthe lugs I9 and 2U of the temple and chin bars respectively. The face ofthe wearer is fully protected by the skeleton type of mask and advantages of this mask over prior known types are lightness in weight,inexpensive manufacture, resulting from the simplied construction andclear vsion of the wearer in view of the placement and relationship ofthe several protecting bars.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minorchanges may be made therein without departingv from the spirit and scopeof the invention as claimed.

l. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuatetemple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, a head strapcarried by the temple bar, and an arched leaf spring carried by thefront bar and projecting forwardly thereof.

2. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, includingv aVertical front bar, arcuate temple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, arcuate cheekbars extending laterally of the front bar, a head strap carried by thetemple bar, a recess formed in the upper and lower ends of the forwardside of the front bar, and a leaf spring having its ends removablyreceived in the recesses and bulging forwardly of the front bar.

3. In a mask cf the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuate templer and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, arcuate cheekbars extending laterally of the front bar, a head strap carried by thetemple bar, and a pad carried by the temple and chin bars and includinga leaf spring embedded therein and having projecting ends removablyengaged With abutments of the associated bars.

4. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuate temple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, a head Strapcarried by the temple bar, an arched leaf spring carried by the frontbar and projecting forwardly thereof, and a pad carried by the templeand chin bars and including a leaf spring embedded therein and havingprojecting ends removably engaged with abutments of the associated bars.

5. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuate temple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, arcuate cheekbars extending laterally of the the front bar, a head strap carried bythe temple bar, a recess formed in the upper and lower ends of theforward side of the front bar, a leaf spring having its ends removablyreceived in the recesses and bulging forwardly of the front bar, and apad carried by the temple and chin bars and including a leaf springembedded therein and having projecting ends removably engaged withabutments of the associated' bars.

6. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuate temple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, arcuate cheekbars extending laterally of the front bar, a head strap carried by thetemple bar, the head strap including a crown strap and a band, one endof the crown strap being frictionally retained between the temple barand pad and link and lug connections between opposite ends of the templebar and band strap.

'7. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuate temple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, a head strapcarried by the temple bar, an arched leaf spring carried by the frontbar and projecting forwardly thereof, the head strap including a crownstrap and a band, one end of the crown strap being frictionally retainedbetween the temple bar and pad and link and lug connections betweenopposite ends of the temple bar and band strap.

8. In a mask of the character described, a skeleton frame, including avertical front bar, arcuate temple and chin bars extending transverselyof the upper and lower ends respectively of the front bar, arcuate cheekbars extending laterally of the front bar, a head strap carried by thetemple bar, a recess formed in the upper and lower ends of the forwardside of the front bar, a leaf spring having its ends removably receivedin the recesses and bulging forwardly of the front bar, the head strapincluding a crown strap and a band, one end of the crown strap beingfrictionally retained between the temple bar and` pad and link and lugconnections between opposite ends of the temple bar and band strap.

PETER J. WOLOSON.

